Typical code editors, such as source code editors and text editors, display visual elements other than text on top of or behind text that is currently being displayed, thus obstructing the view of the text being displayed or of the visual element. Some code editors display visual elements in predetermined margins at the edge of a display screen. To display visual elements, current code editors require prior knowledge about which visual elements are to be displayed. Current code editors also need to know the allowable locations on the display screen for displaying visual elements. Further, current code editors do not provide the ability to arbitrarily place a visual element on a display screen without obstructing text. This lack of flexibility can be cumbersome, tedious, and impede code development.